Clothes-rack.



J. K, McAFEE CLOTHES RACK. APPLICATION FILED AUG.8. 1915.

1,215,175. Patented Feb. 6,1917.

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l. K. McAFEE.

CLOTHES RACK. APPUCATION FILED AUG.8. 1916.

1,215,175. I Patented Feb. 6,1917.

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CLOTHES-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917..

Application filed August 8, 1916. Serial No. 113,771.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JANE KILLIAN Mo- :AFEE, a citizen of the United States, residmg in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Racks, of which the fol lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

he invention relates to an improvement in extensible clothes racks for use in apartments where there are restrictions against the use of poles and pulley lines or where the only place for drying clothes is the roof and the number of families desiring to use it is such that each ones use is very much restricted or where there are very young children and the mother can not leave them alone to go to the roof.

e principal object of the invention is to provi e a rack of this character which can be secured in the lowerportion of a window and which when in use will extend outward and upward and which when not in use can be folded into a small compass and not be unsightly.

A further object 'of the invention is to provide a rack of this character in which each of the hanging members will have a four inch clearance of those beneath it which has been ascertained to be the clearance necessary for suitably drying clothes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of thischaracter which can be loaded conveniently by a woman without leaning out of the window or straining at a pulley rope and which can be extended when loaded by mechanical means operated from inside the room and which can be securely held in itsextended position and when it is desired to take the clothes in their own weight will assist in the operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack of this character which is adjustable to difiercnt widths of windows so that it can be fitted to a window without difficulty by an unskilled person with ordi nary hand tools. 7

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description thereof hereinafter made when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof wherein a preferable form of the invention is shown and wherein like numerals of reference refer to similar parts in the several views.

While a preferred form of the invention 18 illustrated in the accompanying drawings it will be understood that various changes and alterations can be made in the arrangement, positioning and construction of the several parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

Generally the invention consists of suitable supporting members adapted to be secured to the inside of the sides of the window frame in the lower portion thereof, a rack of the lazy tongs type carried by the supporting members at a suitable angle so that when in use the rack will. extend outward and upward and give each of the rods connecting the lazy tongs sides a clearance of four inches, rods adapted to telescope connecting the lazy tongs sides and jointed arms at the sides and lower portion of the inner end of the rack adapted to extend the rack and hold it in the extended position and when folded to close the rack.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rack embodying the invention shown in place in a window, the full lines showing the rack in an extended position and the dotted lines in a closed position, he adjacent parts of the window frame being broken away; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the rack in an extended position; Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the rods connecting the sides of the rack partly broken away to show the telescopic connection and stop; Figs. 4 and 5 are detail side and top plan views showing the locking device; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail side and topplan views of a modified form of securing the supporting members to the sides of the window frame; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the sup porting members pivotally secured to the sides of the window frame with adjacent parts in section or broken away the better to show the connection; Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views of elements of the pivotal c011- nection; Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section and with adjacent parts broken away showing the rack secured to the top of a receptacle resting on the window sill with the top in a vertical position; and Fig. 10 is a front view partly in section and with parts broken away showing receptacle with top in a vertical position.

Referring to the accompanying drawlngs,

two supporting members 1 are provided which may be attached in any suitable manner, as by screws 2, to the insides of the the outer portion of the Q inanner as by screws sides of the window frame 3 near the lower portion thereof. 7

The rack consists of a series of parallel bars 4; and 5 on each side which are pivotally connected at their extremities (i and 7 and at their centers 8 and 9 by rods 11. One of" the parallel bars 1 on each side of the rack is secured in any suitable manner, as by screws 10, to the corresponding supporting member 1 at such an angle that when the raclris extended each of the rods 11 connecting the bars and 5 will have a clearance of four inches. 7

The rods 11 are telescopic and are secured in the bars 4: and 5 in any suitable manner, as by having their ends 12 which pass through the bars a" and 5 reduced in size to form shoulders which abut against the inner side of the bars 5 and by cotter pins 14 passing through the reduced portion outside 4:. In the form shown, the rods of the bars 11 consist of two tubular portions one adapted to slide in the other, the inner portion being provided at a suitable distance from its inner end with a stop 11 adapted to extend through and slide in a slot 11 in the outer portion extending to a sufficient distance from the inner end so that when ex tended to their full length the rods 11 will not wabble.

Jointed arms 15 have their'free ends 16 suitably mounted on two of the rods 11 on the two sides of the rack at the inner end and lower portion thereof and are provided adjacent to where they are jointed with locking devices 17 adapted to'hold them in an extended position.- In the formshown the locking device 17 consists of. a recess 18 in the upper inner portion of the outer mem- 40-ber of the jointed arms 15 adjacent to the joint and a projection 19 on the outer-portion of the other'member adapted when the arms 15 are extended to rest in the recess 18. Any similar locking device may be used. The arms 15 are provided on their inner sides adjacent to the joint with handles 20 for the more convenient manipulation of the arms 15.

' the rack outward and upward and holdit. in 50 an extended position. I V V 'A modified form of attachment of the rack to the sides of the window frame 3 is shown in. Figs. 6 and 7. In this form a recess 21 adapted to permit the supporting members 1 to slide therein is provided. the form shown the recess 7 any suitable material preferably sheet metal the sides of vhich are bent outward at right" angles to the body: and then at rightangles toward each other between theinner edges for the-passage of supporting members'l The recess 21 maybe secured tofthe sides of the window'frame3 in any suitable loops 28 are hinged to the sides of thewin The arms 15 when extended press" vertical flange forming n i 21 is formed of ,31 is composed of any isadapted to rest "in the wardly projectmg leaving a sufficient space frame 31 by any' 221 [When this form' of j attachment of the supporting members to the window frame 3 is used the sides of the supporting mem'bers 1 have rabloets 21- formed on their outer faces to permit the inwardly inclined portions of the; outer faces of the recesses 21 to overlap.

'A further modified form of attaching the supporting members 1 to the sides of the window frame 3-is shown in Figs. 8,11 and 12. In this form the supporting members 1 are pivotally window frame 3. In the '7 mounted, on the sides of the V formsl 1own,buttons 22 aresecured on the outer sides of the r V supportingmembers 1. at a distance from their lower ends sufficient to permit the rack when folded to lie beneath'the sup-r porting members 1 when turned down. Recesses 23 are. provided in the sides of the window frame 8. Plates 23 provided with openings 25 to permit the insertion of'the heads of the buttons22 and slots 26 extend- 7 ing downwardly and rearwardly from the holes 25 to permitthe'passage of. the shanks of the buttons 22are secured over the openings of the recesses 23 by any suitablemeans as by screws 24. Suitabledevices 27 are provided to hold the ina' vertical position when it use the rack. In the form shown, rings or dow frame 3 and adaptedt'o pass over the upper ends of the supporting members'l. r

supporting members 1; is desired to 7 If desired a suitable receptacle 29 may be provided to receive and protect the rack vertical flanges at its sides at a 'distance from the rear: edgewith pivots 34 having inner portions extending inside of the ver tical flanges fora purpose to be later described, the pivots 3tareadapted topass through apertures35 in the 'sidesof the body 30. and enter-recesses 36 in'thewindowr-fraine- The frame .31 is also provided in the its front edge with apertures 37 adapted to receive hoo movably secured to the sides of the window frame 3, when the frame 31 is raised to a vertical position. The removable portion angle :irons 32 and to be seeured in 'the suitable material and I frame 731' on the inhorizontal flanges of the v V suitable means, I as ,by Spring a p 9- ap e it be pru gnver the inner potion of the'pivots 34c. 1When* such receptacle "29g'is Lused, the supporting members aresuitably secured itethe under side of the top der side of the angle irons 32 I claim 1. A11 extensible clothes rack comprising supporting members adapted to be secured to the sides of a Window frame near the bottom thereof, parallel bars on both sides, the inner outer bar on each side secured at an angle to the corresponding supporting member, telescopic rods extending across the Window and pivotally connecting the parallel bars at their extremities and centers, and jointed arms provided with looking devices and adapted to extend the rack and hold it in an extended position.

2. An extensible clothes rack comprising supporting members adapted to be pivotally 31 as by rivets 41-0 to the unhorizontal flanges of the side of the frame 31".

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by

secured to the sides of a Window frame near the bottom thereof, locking devices mounted on the sides of the Window frame and adapted to maintain the supporting members in a vertlcal position, sides of the lazy tong type the innermost member of the links on each side of the lazy tongs adapted to be secured at an angle to the corresponding supporting member, telescopic rods forming the pivots of the lazy tongs and adapted to extend across the Window and jointed arms adapted to extend the rack and hold it extended and provided with looking devices to hold them extended.

JANE KILLIAN MoAFEE. Witnesses:

FREDERICK W. MAR UAND, HARTWELL P. ATH.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

